Whether you’re just visiting Annapolis or you live here full-time, you might be looking for the best spot to grab a cup of coffee while you’re in the area. From Annapolis Neck to Downtown, West Street to Eastport, there are excellent coffee shops in Annapolis in every part of our little city that serve great coffee and coffee drinks. No matter which part of Annapolis you find yourself in, a great cup of coffee, rich espresso, or delicious latte is close by. Here are a few of what we think are the best coffee shops in Annapolis.
While you can find the usual chains like Dunkin’ and Starbucks in the Annapolis area, unless you’re seeking those familiar flavors, there’s really no need to suffer through an uninspired cup of joe while visiting Annapolis. Annapolis is home to numerous small, family-run local coffee shops that offer unique experiences worth seeking out and enjoying. Here are a few of our favorites.
Bitty & Beau’s Coffee
124 Dock St, Annapolis, MD 21401 bittyandbeauscoffee.com
We are so lucky to have a Bitty & Beau’s Coffee right in Annapolis. Bitty and Beau’s is a national chain with multiple locations, all with an important mission: to offer a supportive work environment for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Bitty and Beau’s coffee shop nationally employs over 450 people with disabilities.
The Annapolis location of Bitty & Beau’s is right downtown, near the bustling City Dock area, making it a perfect spot to stop whether you’re going to the Naval Academy, enjoying the waterfront, or about to enjoy the day downtown. The shop itself has a sleek and modern coffeehouse vibe, a friendly staff, and the coffee is wonderful.
Rise Up Coffee Roasters
2042 Somerville Rd, Annapolis, MD, and inside the Annapolis Market House at 25 Market Space, Annapolis, MD 21401 riseupcoffee.com
Rise Up Coffee has locations in several areas of town, so you’re never very far from a spot where you can enjoy their coffee. Rise Up Coffee is a Maryland and Annapolis institution, with its first location opening on the Eastern Shore in St. Michaels. Due to their huge popularity, several other locations opened up all over the state over the past 20 years.
Rise Up is an independently owned roaster and coffee shop specializing in organic coffee from single-origin sources and vetted, fair-trade bean suppliers. You can find a coffee roast for every palette, with light to dark roast coffees to brew at home, or enjoy in their shops.
If you’re in downtown Annapolis and searching for a great cup of coffee, head over to the Market House Location. If you’re out by the mall or Whole Foods, you can drop in at their Somerville Road location in the Parole Shopping Plaza.
Oscar’s Coffee
105 Eastern Ave, Annapolis, MD 21403 wheresoscar.com
Oscar’s might be one of our absolute favorite spots for coffee, and one of the coffee shops in Annapolis that is definitely worth a special visit. It has absolutely everything we love: waterfront views, a sweet little camper redone as a coffee shop truck, and lots of dogs, including their mascot Oscar. All the local pups and people gather here in this welcoming location.
Not only does Oscar’s serve excellent coffee, they are an easy spot to stop for coffee on the Eastport peninsula without having to head all the way downtown. They have a collaboration with The Coastery, which means there are often one-of-a-kind homemade treats on offer.
The coffee offerings are fantastic and varied. You can get everything from a classic cup of coffee to specialty drinks like turmeric lattes and seasonal favorites like pumpkin and hot cocoa. If you prefer tea or matcha, they have a full range of teas and tea-based gourmet drinks.
The welcoming tables, fire pit, and Adirondack chairs afford a beautiful view of the Chesapeake Bay and the Horn Point Harbor marina, making this one of the best places we know to enjoy a cup of coffee with a beautiful water view.
Bean Rush Cafe
112 Annapolis St, Annapolis, MD 21401 beanrushcafe.com
Bean Rush Cafe is located in what is possibly the sweetest and most undiscovered part of Annapolis — West Annapolis. Located on Annapolis street, the quaint main road of West Annapolis, and set on the same street as an ice cream shop, boutiques, an antique shop, fine dining restaurants, and near one of the best bakeries and breweries, stopping at Bean Rush is an ideal way to start a stroll in this part of town.
Bean Rush offers classic coffees, non-coffee items like loose-leaf teas, turmeric lattes, and espresso-based drinks like lattes and cappuccinos. They also have their own signature and creative coffee drinks, like the Milky Way or the Girl Scout Cookie.
Bean Rush is a particularly great coffee spot if you need a bit of breakfast or lunch with your coffee, since they offer some wonderful hot paninis, salads, bagel sandwiches, pastries, and smoothies.
The West Annapolis neighborhood is a hidden gem, and Bean Rush Cafe is one of the great gathering spots that make it so special.
Ceremony Coffee Roasters
90 Russell St, Annapolis, MD 21401 ceremonycoffee.com
Ceremony has two locations in the Annapolis area. The original spot is The Roastery, a warehouse-style space where wholesale Ceremony coffee is actively roasted daily. There’s a second location a few miles away, which is an upscale, larger gathering space in their Riva Forest Drive location. There are also two other locations in Maryland: one in Baltimore and one in Bethesda.
All locations serve the proprietary blends that Ceremony is known for. Their coffees are known for their superior quality gourmet coffee with complex tasting profiles. We ordered a cappuccino and can confirm it had rich notes of molasses and licorice. It was delicious and unlike any cup of coffee we’ve ever had. The Roastery location is outside of downtown Annapolis, and off of the busy part non-sidewalked part of West Street, so it is not particularly walkable from downtown. Fortunately, there is a small parking lot.
Their outside area features terrace seating covered with a sunshade to make it a great place to work outdoors with your laptop. There’s also a community table as well as some individual tables. The drink menu offers a traditional offering of coffee, flat whites, cappuccinos, and nitro coffee, all made unique by their exceptional beans and roasting practices. They also offer bags of ground coffee so that you can enjoy this exceptional coffee at home.
Curate Annapolis
141 West St, Suite 101, Annapolis, MD 21401 curateannapolis.com
Curate blends some of our favorite foods and drinks into one wonderful establishment. Located in the Arts District of Annapolis on West Street, Curate is a coffee shop, bakery, and wine bottle shop. This winning combination makes it perfect for early morning beverages and a little breakfast, and then return later for a completely different experience for a plate or small bites or a charcuterie board, paired with a fantastic bottle of wine.
Curate also offers monthly wine tasting events with wines handpicked by their in-house sommelier. With a modern space, a welcoming counter where all their baked goods are on display, and espresso, pour over, drip style coffees, seasonal and specialty coffee drinks. It’s also a great spot to grab a scone pastry or a nutritious breakfast with options like granola, chia pudding, or a salmon sandwich. It’s also a wonderful option for a light lunch, like wraps and salads. For a fun night with friends, be sure to check the schedule for their wine night events.
The Red Bean
220 Main St, Annapolis, MD 21401 theredbeancafe.com
The Red Bean is a Main Street fixture in Annapolis and a classic Annapolis coffee shop. This delightful little coffee shop is located at the far end of Main Street, right before you reach Church Circle.
The Red Bean is known for its duo of delicious offerings: coffee and ice cream. In addition to fantastic espresso drinks and specialities like Mexican Hot Chocolate, they also offer pastries, smoothies, and a rotating menu of gourmet ice cream flavors.
Their ice cream is served in their signature waffle cone, and can also be mixed into the cold-brew coffee for a delicious smoothie.
The Red Bean is a family-owned and disability run business. The delights don’t end with their culinary treats. The Red Bean also has flower bouquets, making it the perfect one-stop shop for an armful of self-care treats!
49 West Coffeehouse
49 West St, Annapolis, MD 21401 49westcoffeehouse.com
By this point in the article, you might have noticed that some of the best Annapolis coffee shops do more than just serve coffee. Such is the case with 49 West Coffeehouse, which serves as a coffee house, art gallery, and wine bar. This popular spot is nestled near some of the best galleries on West Street and right near the music venue The Rams Head. It fits right into the art scene on West Street by offering visual and auditory delights in addition to coffee.
Brown Mustache Coffee in Old Fox Books
35 Maryland Ave, Annapolis, MD 21401 brownmustache.com
As we mentioned, Annapolis coffee shops often have a dual role and hidden surprise, and perhaps none is a more comforting combination than the Brown Mustache Coffee shop, which is tucked away in the back rooms of Old Fox Books.
Old Fox Books is a must-visit spot in Annapolis, on Maryland Ave, that offers everything from new bestsellers to old, rare books and curated selections of local authors and topics. Just head up the stairs and through the book show, and the Brown Mustache is at the back of the building.
There are cozy seats inside as well as a small patio outside. They serve gluten-free pastries and fine chocolates as well.
Tatte
305 Sail Pl, Annapolis, MD 21401 tattebakery.com
Tatte is a chain and one of the newest spots in Annapolis Town Center for coffee. It’s a soaring space that has lots of community tables and seating, a large bakery case, and a coffee bar. It feels both vintage, thanks to the subway tile and classic decor, but also like a new and modern space.
If you’re seeking an expansive space where you can work and sip your coffee, or meet a friend and feel like you can spend as much time as you’d like enjoying your coffee or a pastry.
Tatte also offers Mediterranean-inspired dishes, salads, sandwiches, tartines, bowls, brunch, and classic breakfast options.
The Big Bean
888 Bestgate Rd, Suite 110, Annapolis, MD 21401 thebigbean.com
The Big Bean has several locations in the Annapolis area. The location at Bestgate Road is the closest to downtown Annapolis, but is really most convenient if you find yourself in the Parole area or near many of the medical offices that are located on Bestgate Road.
The other locations are the original location in Severna Park, as well as one in Millersville. The Big Bean is known for refreshing frozen coffee drinks as well as having a huge selection of specialty drinks, flavor and syrup shots available, including sugar-free syrups.
Bakeries and Other Great Places To Grab a Cup of Coffee In Annapolis
Keep in mind, many of the brunch and breakfast spots, as well as the bakeries in town, also serve some great coffee. Since these establishments are primarily focused on baked goods and food rather than coffee, we plan to include them in our upcoming article about the best bakeries in Annapolis. Still others will be featured in our best breakfast spots.
That said, if you find yourself in Eastport craving both breakfast and coffee, Bread and Butter Kitchen serves Open Seas coffee. Other local bakeries like Bakers & Co., In Grano, and Black Market Bakers also serve local roasts with their gourmet baked goods, breakfast sandwiches, and pastries. Sweet Hearts Patisserie is another bakery we adore that is the perfect place to pair a coffee with one of their legendary macrons or petit fours.
Stay tuned for more places to eat and drink in all the locations we live and visit! In the meantime, if you’re in the Annapolis area and seeking something a bit stronger than coffee, check out our list of the best bars in Annapolis.
